CONTACTSSCOUTING FOR
HUANGLONGBING (HLB; Citrus Greening)1
Scouting today to protect future profits
UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education CenterJamie Burrow2
Canker & Greening Extension Education(863) 956-8648
Megan Dewdney, Ph.D.Plant Pathologist
(863) 956-8651
Tripti Vashisth, Ph.D.2
Horticulturist(863) 956-8846
Lauren Diepenbrock, Ph.D.Entomologist
(863) 956-8801
UF/IFAS Southwest Florida RECOzgur BatumanPlant Pathologist(239) 658-3408
Jawwad Qureshi, Ph.D.Entomologist
(239) 658-3400
UF/IFAS Indian River RECLiliana Cano, Ph.D.
Plant Pathologist(772) 577-7350
UF/IFAS Extension Offices with Citrus AgentsDesoto, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lake, Polk,
St. Lucie, Sumter
WebsitesUF/IFAS Extension Citrus Agents
http://citrusagents.ifas.ufl.edu
UF/IFAS Citrus REC http://crec.ifas.ufl.edu
UF/IFAS Southwest Florida REC https://swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/
Local UF/IFAS Extension Officehttp://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/
December 2019
DIAGNOSTIC LABSSouthern Gardens Diagnostic Laboratory
111 Ponce de Leon Ave.Clewiston, FL 33440
(863) 902-2249Contact: Mike Irey
Florida Division of Plant IndustryPO Box 147100
Gainesville, FL 32614-7100(800) 282-5153
UF Plant Diagnostic CenterBuilding 1291, 2570 Hull Rd.
Gainesville, FL 32611(352) 392-1795
Before sending samples, contact the testing facility to obtain proper sampling procedures, submission guidelines, and fees.
1. This document is CH201, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date August 2008. Revised December 2019. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Jamie D. Burrow, Extension program manager; Stephen H. Futch, Extension agent IV (retired); Tripti Vashisth, assistant professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, Citrus Research and Education Center; and Timothy M. Spann, former associate professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, CREC; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.
CH201
PURPOSE OF SCOUTING
SCOUT RESPONSIBILITIES• To locate and identify HLB symptoms • Operators of platforms and ATVs are responsible
for transporting survey crews safely• Follow all company procedures for entering and
exiting grove
WHEN TO SCOUT
METHODS
SAFETY CONCERNS• Safety is a priority when scouting • Follow re-entry intervals for chemical
applications• Be aware of weather, climate conditions, and
grove conditions• Watch for power lines• Always keep a first aid kit in a readily accessible
location• Employees should be trained in the proper
procedures in case of an emergency
TAGGING SUSPECT TREES• Use one color of flagging tape to
identify suspect trees• Choose colors or designs that
cannot be confused with other commonly used flagging tapes
• GPS or grove map should be used in conjunction with flag-ging tape to identify positive HLB-affected tree
• Walking• ATVs• Tractor- or vehicle-mounted platform
The purpose of scouting is to aid in managing HLB by:
• Identifying HLB-affected trees• Planning a management program
• Symptoms are most visible during the fall and winter months
• Survey frequency would be determined by incidence and HLB management plan
• Spring flush makes scouting more difficult
GROVE CONDITIONSGrove conditions which can hinder a scouting program include:• Unmaintained
grove middles, tree size, and/or canopy
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Non-hedged rows• Disease or insect damage
WHAT TO SCOUT FORBLOTCHY MOTTLE = GREENING
Yellow veins, vein corking, and green islands are not diagnostic alone. These symptoms should be coupled with blotchy mottle symptoms and a positive diagnostic test to determine a HLB-affect-ed tree.
Lopsided, misshapen, small fruit
Yellow veins and/or off-season bloom
Vein corking and blotchy mottle
Green islands
Blotchy mottle leavesTrees with a yellow appearance, shoot die-back, sparse foliation, and thin canopy
For more information, please contact the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred (863) 956-1151
Yellow stain beneath the calyx button
Aborted seeds Curved central core